Feverfew

Tanacetum parthenium · Chrysanthemum parthenium · Parthenolide

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Migraine prevention¹ Migraine attack frequency^{2, 3} Early-stage migraine attacks⁴ Combination migraine prophylaxis^{5, 6}	Pregnancy⁷ Asteraceae or ragweed allergy⁷

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is a daisy-family perennial whose leaf and extract are used mainly for migraine prevention, with parthenolide blocking inflammatory signaling as the proposed driver⁸. Adults with episodic migraine seeking a nonprescription preventive are the typical users, and nutraceutical reviews list it alongside riboflavin, coenzyme Q10, and butterbur¹. It is also promoted for minor head pain and joint support⁹.

Evidence for migraine prevention is mixed.^{10, 11} Cochrane reviews found inconclusive results, and the later update added a larger trial of a stable extract showing a modest difference from placebo^{10, 11}. Fixed combinations of feverfew with magnesium and coenzyme Q10 reduced migraine days in open-label observational studies^{5, 6}. A 2012 comparison of three national migraine prevention guidelines found recommendations diverged substantially for feverfew¹². Capsules predominate among the more than 400 products listing feverfew, with some liquids and tablets; see Form comparison.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) advises against use in pregnancy because feverfew may affect uterine contractions⁹. Health Canada labels ask for a practitioner's advice before use with blood thinners⁷, reflecting feverfew's antiplatelet activity⁸.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

43 sources, 33 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources